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The Edgewater – Seattle’s Only Waterfront Hotel

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I had no idea when I was planning my trip to Seattle, but there is only ONE waterfront hotel in Seattle and it’s The Edgewater Hotel. I’m a beach girl so of course I decided that was the place to stay. CNBC and Best of Citysearch rated it best hotel in Seattle. It’s also rated as one of the world’s best places to stay by Conde Nest Traveler. So how could I not check it out? Below are some photos of this beautiful hotel.

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Let’s start at the beginning…when you arrive. As you pull up to the entry the first thing you’ll see is a huge stone fireplace that burns 24/7.  It truly starts your stay off right.

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When you enter the lobby you’ll find the decor is quite unique and beautiful.  You’ll feel like you’ve escaped to a mountain resort.  Note the chairs made with faux antlers, the stone fireplace and coffee table made from a huge log.

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The rooms are also quaint with gas fireplaces and log styled 4 poster beds.

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Because the hotel literally sits over the water, the views are beautiful! Make sure you enjoy the sunset, either in your room, or down in the bar and / or restaurant where you can sit outside.

Photogirltravels_Edgewater 20 copy            Photogirltravels_Edgewater 2I did stop by the hotel’s Six Seven bar for happy hour before heading to dinner.  I had the mussles and they were divine!  You may also want to stay at the hotel for dinner (or lunch).  Again, it’s one of the few bars/restaurants in the city that has a waterfront view.

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For more information on this beautiful hotel: http://www.edgewaterhotel.com/

In my next Seattle blog, I’ll take you to one of the most popular seafood restaurants where you’ll need to wear a bib and use a mallet.  That combined with an ice cold beer makes the perfect dinner! Click the Follow button over on the right and join me on out next adventure!

Would you like to purchase a print? Please click on “Contact”. My photography is printed on aluminum. Utilizing an advanced process which infuses dyes directly into the metal, the colors and saturation are really amazing. In addition, your print will be displayed using mount blocks which float the image ½ inch off the wall.

©2013 Shelley D Spray – No content on this site (including all photography) may be reused in any fashion without written permission from the author.

Peace, Martha’s Vineyard at Sunset

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PhotoGirlTravels_Marthas Vineyard_021413I took this photo walking back from the lighthouse to the Harbor View Hotel at sunset. This is one of my favorite places!

Seattle Space Needle

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Space Needle

It all started on a placemat.  The Space Needle is a “must see” in Seattle and was created to be a dominant central structure for the 1962 World’s Fair.  But what I found really interesting is that the original design was apparently drawn on a placemat in a coffee house in 1959. (The penciled shape you see below)

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I chuckled when I saw this drawing for the first time and I’m even chuckling now – I mean, this is the first drawing of the Space Needle? It almost looks like the front of an elephant and its trunk. After this very important first scribble, the design underwent a lot of changes (Well….I should think so) and following some location and finance hurdles a plot of land was sold to the investors for $75,000 in 1961, just 13 months before the World’s Fair opening. It did open on time and from that day forward has been one of the central icons in this beautiful city. The photo below shows the Seattle Space Needle and the Great Wheel from the ferry. (Way way over on the left)

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Here are a few factoids for you to know before you head over to the needle.

  • The Space Needle is approximately 605 strips of bacon tall (foot long strips). The original fact I found used a Milky Way bar but I figure bacon’s about double the length, so I took the liberty to tweak that fact just a bit.
  • There are 848 steps from the bottom of the basement to the top of the Observation Deck if you are interested in buns of steel…try the climb just once.
  • The Space Needle is fastened to its foundation with 72 bolts, each 30 feet in length. I guess that seems ok but 72 just doesn’t seem like  a lot.
  • The Needle is built to withstand a wind velocity of 200 miles per hour.
  • The elevators travel 10 mph, 14 feet per second, 800 feet per minute, or as fast as a raindrop falls to earth. In fact, a snowflake falls at 3 mph, so in an elevator during a snowstorm it appears to be snowing up.
  • On a hot day the Space Needle expands about one inch. (If you throw in the humidity, I’d say the same thing happens to my hair on hot days)
  • There are 25 lightning rods (24 actual rods plus the tower) on the roof of the Needle to withstand lightning strikes.

In my next Seattle blog I want to show you the ONLY hotel that sits on the water, the beautiful Edgewater Hotel.

Would you like a print? Please click on “Contact”. My photography is printed on aluminum. Utilizing an advanced process which infuses dyes directly into the metal, the colors and saturation are really amazing. In addition, your print will be displayed using mount blocks which float the image ½ inch off the wall.

©2013 Shelley D Spray – No content on this site (including all photography) may be reused in any fashion without written permission from the author.

Single?? You May Have a Valentine You Don’t Even Know About!

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329893_10150616072166489_2031253443_oI wanted to be the first to wish my readers a Happy Valentine’s Day!  For those of you planning something fun today my advice is to keep it simple.  Time is the most important gift you can give someone you care about.

As for the day itself, I chuckle as I remember Valentine’s Day as a child.  First, I was NOT that super-cute girl that all the guys were googly eyed over. Oh no… I was the shy girl with the curly hair that always seemed to have a snarl that would not brush out.  (I think people just thought the back of my hair had extra body…or “lift”) Next, let’s ice this cake and add glasses and legs that were as long as kids were tall.  So when the “big day” came around it was always a bit stressful. Would anyone want me as their Valentine? Thankfully, our teachers insisted that everyone give everyone a Valentine’s card so my carefully decorated lunch bag that was taped to the chalk board was packed full of cards and those horrible chalky candy hearts (which thankfully became sweet and sour in their later life).

Flash forward many years. Today, my life is full of Valentines as I am blessed with incredible friends and the most amazing family.  To find the Valentines in your life, all you need to do is take a moment and look around. I promise… they are everywhere.

I hope everyone has a fabulous day!

PS: On a very important note, I’ve finally managed to get that big-ol snarl out of my hair – in case you were wondering why there are never any photos of me walking away from the camera.

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Speed

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PhotoGirlTravels_Cats Hill2I know the east coast and midwest are getting hammered with snow but here in California it’s almost spring-like. On my walk yesterday I struggled my way up “Cat’s Hill” which is located in Los Gatos, California.  On my slow assent (it’s a very steep hill) a few bikers passed me and I thought of posting a couple of my sports photos.  During the Cat’s Hill Classic Race, thousands of bikers race through the neighborhoods and then fly around a corner and up this hill.  It’s a photographer’s dream as it’s a huge loop that they follow over and over again. Hence you have a lot of opportunities to get a decent shot. The trick to photographing something that is moving is to pan and take a lot of photos.  I’m sure there is some science behind it but that’s essentially what I do. I’ll share a few as we get closer to the event which is held in May.

Cat’s Hill Information:

Date: May 4, 2013

website: http://www.catshill.org/

Would you like a print? Please click on “Contact”. My photography is printed on aluminum. Utilizing an advanced process which infuses dyes directly into the metal, the colors and saturation are really amazing. In addition, your print will be displayed using mount blocks which float the image ½ inch off the wall.

©2013 Shelley D Spray – No content on this site (including all photography) may be reused in any fashion without written permission from the author.

Get Your Rain Boots On…We’re Off to Seattle

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PhotoGirlTravels Seattle

Seattle is virtually the thumbtack that holds up the upper left-hand side of the United States. Nestled between the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, it’s a trendy city with a lot to do. I think the best place to start is Pike Place Market. But first we need to make a quick stop that involves caffeine…

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…And what better place to go? The original Starbucks. Walking up to this small shop really makes you believe in the American dream. I know there are books written about their road to success, but truly it is amazing when you see it. I always get a grande in a vente since I require extra cream (and refuse to pour my precious coffee out or ask for “extra room”). Get whatever you’d like and then we’ll be on our way. The original Starbucks sits on the edge of Pike Place Market so it’s an easy walk from there.

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Pike Place Market

From the original Starbucks we’ll head up the street to Pike Place Market. There are tons of shops outside of the market so we’ll take our time and check them out.

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One of my favorite stores is Beecher’s Handmade Cheese Shop where you can sample some pretty amazing cheese. Just drop down on a handy milk jug to enjoy some of their gourmet food.

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After our cheese tasting experience, we’ll cross the street over to the Market. Pike Place Market started because of the price of an onion in 1906. Long story short – onions were super expensive so the outraged citizens proposed a public street market that would connect farmers directly with consumers. On August 17, 1907 Pike Place Market was born. You cannot believe the incredible selection you’ll find of fresh produce, seafood, and other merchandise. There are restaurants with waterfront views inside the market too. Look for the fish throwers.  One guy stands out front by the customers, when you order he literally throws the fish back to another guy who wraps it up. A lot of fun for the on-lookers but I’m sure a lot of work for the doers.

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And in front of the fish throwers is Rachael the Pig which you have to take your picture on. If you’ve read any of my blogs you know I’m a huge bacon lover.  If you’d like to learn more about good ol Rachael here’s an earlier blog about her: http://photogirltravels.com/2013/02/04/me-and-rachel-the-pig/

PhotoGirlTravels Rachel the Pig

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More to come…

Next I’ll show you the Space Needle, Seattle Great Wheel, Chihuly Glass Exhibition (mind-blowing), the library (seriously, it’s impressive), we’ll don a bib eat a pile of seafood with an ice cold beer(s) and stay at the only hotel that literally sits on the water, the elegant Edgewater Hotel.  And finally, we’ll take the Ferry over to visit a few quaint coastal towns including Bainbridge Island and Gig Harbor.  Please click the follow button over on the right if you’d like to receive email notifications of these posts. I hope you’ll join me!

Handy Links

Original Starbucks: http://www.seattle.gov/html/visitor/starbucks.htm

Pike Place Market: http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese: http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/

Edgewater Hotel: http://www.edgewaterhotel.com/

Chihuly Glass Exhibition: http://www.chihulygardenandglass.com/